16
They set outוַיִּסְעוּfrom Bethel,מִבֵּית אֵלand when there wasוַיְהִיstillעוֹדsome distanceכִּבְרַת הָאָרֶץto goלָבוֹאto Ephrath,אֶפְרָתָהRachelרָחֵלwent into labor,וַתֵּלֶדand her laborוַ בְּלִדְתָּהּwas hard.תְּקַשׁ
Genesis 35:16
Study it in the app“They set out from Bethel, and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and her labor was hard.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 35:16, word by word
- They set outיִּסְעוּyisu
set out
To break camp and set out for another place.
Where else “yisu” appears- from Bethelבֵּיתbet
Bethel
See it on the mapWhere else “bet” appears- and when there wasיְהִיyehi
happen
For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.
Where else “yehi” appears- some distanceכִּבְרַתkivrat
some distance
Some distance: a measure of road whose exact length is unknown.
Where else “kivrat” appears- some distanceאָרֶץarets
land
A region or nation, above all Israel's.
Where else “arets” appears- to goבוֹאvo
come
To come, arrive: "days are coming".
Where else “vo” appears- to Ephrathאֶפְרָתָהefrata
Ephrath
Ephrath, an old name of Bethlehem and its district.
Where else “efrata” appears- Rachelרָחֵלrachel
Rachel
Rachel, younger daughter of Laban, Jacob's beloved wife; mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Her name means "ewe".
Where else “rachel” appears- went into laborתֵּלֶדteled
bear
To bring a child into the world, giving birth after pregnancy.
Where else “teled” appears- was hardתְּקַשׁtekash
be hard
To be heavy to bear, or severe.
Where else “tekash” appears
Places in this verse
Bethel ?
Today: possibly Beitin, West Bank
A city in the hills about 11 miles (17 km) north of Jerusalem; the location is approximate.
There Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven and named the place Bethel, "house of God" (Gen 28:19). Jeroboam set up a golden calf there (1 Kgs 12:29).
The context
15Jacob called the name of the place where Elohim had spoken with him Bethel.
16 · This verse (above)
17When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for this too is a son for you.”
To study Genesis 35 in a group
1. What it says
What did Elohim tell Jacob to do at Bethel, and what did his household leave behind (vv. 1-4)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Jacob that he asks his household to put away the foreign gods (vv. 2-3)?
3. How I live it
What gets in the way of your trust in Elohim, and could you leave it behind?